EARLY SEASON REPORTS FROM THE FIELD

A transplanting crew on a burley farm in Ohio prepares to go back in the field after reloading plants in this file photo by Chris Bickers.

Seeding in western Kentucky was held up in some greenhouses by a cold snap in March. "I delayed seeding until eight says after I meant to start because of those colder temperatures," says Shiny McLimore who produces commercial plants in Owensboro (Stanley), Ky. "We have had a number of warm nights since then, and now my plants are growing ahead of schedule. They are as big as if not bigger than neighbors who seeded earlier."

Weather definitely affects germination in the greenhouse, according to the N.C. Extension tobacco team. Cool, cloudy conditions of the type reported in Kentucky in March can delay germination. But unseasonably warm temperatures in February and March can increase the rate of plant growth, causing problems with stem and root diseases, particularly if the seeds are planted in the greenhouse too early. Consult weather forecasts before seeding.

Following: Field dispatches through mid-April 

(From NASS Crop Progress and Condition Report)

FLUE-CURED

In Georgia, growers had planted 46 percent of the crop by mid-month while in South Carolina growers had planted five percent. Georgetown County, S.C., farmers began setting the week ending April 14, said Kyle Daniel, Extension agent. Heavy rain the week before slowed progress for a few days. In North Carolina, wet conditions continued. Significant acreage had not been fumigated, said Don Nicholson, N.C. Agriculture Department agronomist in central N.C. "Others are planning to begin trans-planting as conditions dry." In Virginia, planting was for the most part still in the future. But in Greensville County, Extension agent Sara Rutherford said beds were being prepared. Liming and fertilizing continue as the weather allows."

BURLEY

In Kentucky, intermittent rain continued to stymie progress of finishing field work, according to NASS. Three quarters of the crop was seeded in the greenhouse by April 14. Of that, seventy five percent of the transplants were under two inches, with 22 percent two to four inches, and three percent above four inches. Transplants were report-ed as in mostly fair to good condition. In Tennessee,  some sunshine and warmer temperatures have made things look better, said A. Ruth Correll, Wilson County Extension Service. "This has allowed field work for crops along with lots of spraying and fertilization projects."

Planting projections too high? I've received several comments from some members who believe the USDA projections were too high. "I believe that the number of acres of flue-cured will possibly be much less than USDA is estimating," said grower Tim Yarbrough of Prospect Hill, N.C. "Tobacco seed companies have said that their sales were down 35 percent to 40 percent. I think we may be looking at 125,000- to 130,000-acre crop." USDA projected 165,000 acres of flue-cured, 17 percent less than 2018; and 53,800 acres for burley, down 12 percent. 

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Zimbabwe market not improving. Through April 4,the eighteenth day of marketing, a total of 12.3 million kilograms of tobacco, mostly flue-cured, had been sold on the auction and contract markets in Zimbabwe. That was 62 percent less than had been sold at the same point in last year's sales. The price too was way off from last year: US$1.72 per kilogram so far compared to $2.76 per kilogram. Severe drought conditions during the season lead to an expected drop in production. Quality was apparently significantly lowered also.

Disaffection among farmers may be part of the reason for the low level of deliveries. Shadreck Makombe, president of the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers' Union, told NewsDay of Zimbabwe some farmers were holding their tobacco in hopes of better prices. "The opening prices were low, and they demotivated farmers," he said. "The buyer is saying this year's quality is lower than last year. But as farmers we are saying the quality is good. It seems they [buyers] don't have money."

The basics of hemp production, Part 3: Variety selection will be the key to success for industrial hemp in the south. One of the most important consideration is days to maturity. Varieties bred primarily for grain production could have significantly different maturity dates relative to each other and would have very different establishment dates for maximum yields and harvestability with standard equipment. Research varieties based on what you want to harvest--fiber, grain/fiber or cannabinoids--then choose varieties that are proven performers..--Derived from writings of D.W. Williams, Plant and Soil Sciences, and Rich Mundell, Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center.

DATES TO REMEMBER

GAP training events:

• Apr 23, 6:30 p.m. Owenton, KY.
• Apr 26, 9 a.m. Lawrenceburg, TN.
• Jun 25, 5 p.m. Hopkinsville, KY.

                                                                                                                                                                                                    

WILL THIS BE THE SMALLEST TOBACCO CROP IN U.S. HISTORY?

Prepping for the season: Rod Kuegel of Owensboro, Ky., (left) and son his son Clay load sticks on pallets back in mid January to have them ready for the harvest season.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture published its annual Prospective Planting Report, and the estimates for tobacco plantings in the United States are disturbing. Based on surveys of farmers conducted during the first two weeks of March, the report projects that tobacco plantings of all types in 2019 are expected to total 244,040 acres, down 16 percent from 2018. If realized, this would be the lowest tobacco acres harvested on record. For the individual types:·

• Flue-cured--165,000 acres, 17 percent below 2018. 
• Burley--53,800 acres, down 12 percent from last year. 
• Fire-cured--14,740 acres, down 22 percent from 2018. 
• Dark air-cured--6,900 acres, down 30 percent from last year. 
• Cigar filler--2,200 acres, down eight percent from the previous year.
• Southern Maryland--1,400 acres, no change from 2018.

Why dark is more appealing than burley: Rod Kuegel, a burley and dark air-cured grower near Owensboro, Ky., says he will maintain his tobacco plantings (both types) at 80 acres, the same acreage he had last season. But he had to think seriously about growing burley at all because of poor market prospects. "Dark is more profitable now. And the communications between the farmer and the dark company is better than with burley companies. I really think if it weren't for my foreign workers, I would switch to all dark," he says.

The basics of hemp production, Part 2: How to plant hemp: It appears that industrial hemp seed is quite sensitive to a lack of soil moisture at planting. Seed should be planted in soils with adequate moisture to encourage rapid germination. If soil moisture is inadequate for industrial hemp germination, it is likely still adequate to support the germination of many weed seeds. Without the availability of labeled herbicides for industrial hemp production, we rely heavily on rapid hemp canopy development and closure to reduce or eliminate competition from weeds. Adequate soil temperature (>/=50oF) and moisture at planting will help accomplish this.--Derived from writings of D.W. Williams, Plant and Soil Sciences, and Rich Mundell, Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center.Hemp

International tobacco report

Zimbabwe: There will be no bumper crop in Zimbabwe. Tobacco was damaged by an extensive drought and then by the well-publicized African cyclone Idai. The loss in production has been variously estimated as five percent or as much as 13 percent this year, industry sources said. That would place production at 485 million to 529 million pounds, both figures lower than the 555 million pounds that were grown in 2018. The auction markets opened on March 20 to lackluster prices.

Malawi: The market opening has not been set. An industry survey projected burley production at just under 450 million pounds, or just slightly more than in 2018. Malawians growers didn't suffer nearly as much from drought and the cyclone as their Zimbabwean neighbors.

Canada: Most greenhouses in Canada's production area in southern Ontario have been seeded, says Mitchell Richmond, Team Leader for the Canadian Tobacco Research Foundation.  In a post on tobacco, he goes on to say, "As the seed germinates and seedlings grow, pests, fertility and contamination due to drifting of pesticides may arise and affect the crop. Algae, black root rot, Pythium damping-off and Rhizoctonia damping-off are highly controlled when trays have been cleaned and steam sterilized at 80ºC (176ºF) for 60 minutes, and when beds are adequately steamed at 82ºC (180ºF) for 30 minutes at a 15 cm depth." For some pests in float trays, chemical control is not available. "Therefore, steam treatment is essential," says Richmond.

Awards for 2019: 

The Tobacco Growers Association of N.C. conferred six awards for 2019: Outstanding Director:  Jeffrey Lee of Johnston County; Farm Family of the Year: Pace Family Farms of Johnston County. Lifetime Member: Steve Troxler, North Carolina agriculture com-missioner. Extension Service Award: Rod Gurganus of Beaufort County; Distinguished Service: Larry Boyd, Foxfire Farms, Pinetown, N.C., and Lee Wicker, deputy director of the North Carolina Growers Association.

The Tobacco Farm Life Museum of Kenly, N.C. conferred two farmer awards for 2019:   Excellence in Agriculture:  Pender Sharp, Sharp Farms, Sims, N.C., and Innovative Young Farmer of the Year: Joshua Phillips, Son Light Farms. Kenly, N.C.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Last GAP train-ing events of the season: 

Wed Apr 3, 10:30 a.m. Alma, GA

Apr 4, 6:30 p.m. Weston, MO

Apr 11, 6 p.m. Bedford, KY

Jun 25, 5 p.m. Hopkinsville, KY

THE SEASON BEGINS IN THE DEEP SOUTH

Farmers began planting in Florida and Georgia on a limited basis in the past week. Setting should reach full speed in two weeks. (File photo of Ferrari F-MAX transplanter courtesy of Granville Equipment, Oxford, N.C.)

Planting began last Tuesday around Gainesville, Fl., says J. Michael Moore, Georgia Extension tobacco specialist, and started yesterday in Georgia around Jesup. "These growers had all been able to get Telone II in early, and with soil conditions good, they decided to ahead and set out," he says. All tobacco in both states is flue-cured. Some more will plant in the next few days, but Moore expects that planting won't begin in earnest in Georgia for another two weeks. There might be a risk in planting this early, he says. "It is before the April 7 date we usually think of as the end of the first flight of thrips." A high rate of thrips could mean more problems with toma-to spotted wilt. The winter was mild in Georgia so there will be plenty of host plants for thrips to spread, he adds.   No planting has occurred in North Carolina, says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. "But it is safe to say that our seeding efforts are behind us in the flue-cured areas, although much of the burley crop remains to be seeded," he says. Flue-cured seedings in the state fall generally a quarter to half way through their development. Houses seeded around Valentine's will be ready for planting around mid-April, Vann says. Flea beetles were an unexpected problem on burley in middle Tennessee and Kentucky last season, says Eric Walker, Tennessee Extension tobacco specialist.Admire in the green-house is a good stra-tegy, and a relatively newchemical,  called either Exirel or Veri-mark has given good control in field de-monstrations. But more research is needed. A tool for tomato spotted wilt: Exirel/ Verimark is also labeled as a tray drench for tomato spotted wilt control and has been tested in Georgia. Some reduction of the disease can be obtained, says Moore, but more research is planned before any recommendations are made. Cutting back to reduce hired labor: Tom Ingram, a burley farmer from Shelbyville, Ky., says he will cut his plantings from 25 acres in 2018 to about 10 acres this season. Scarcity of labor is the main reason. "If I make this cut, I will be able to 'barn' my tobacco with the family labor I have," he says. "I have been able to find enough local labor to harvest [in the past] but it is just getting too hard to find them." H2A guest workers would be available but the farmer thinks he would need at least 70 acres to justify the management work that program would require. He doesn't have the infrastructure to grow that much. The basics of hemp production, Part 1: Although industrial hemp has been touted as a low-input crop that is highly adaptable to marginal lands, maximum yields are realized with inputs equivalent to current grain production systems and on productive land. If maximum industrial hemp yields are your goal, select good corn land with deep, well-drained soils and plan on inputs equal to current grain crops. If maximum yields are not the goal, industrial hemp can be expected to perform on marginal lands with lower productivity and with reduced inputs much the same as our current commodity crops would.--Derived from writings of D.W. Williams, Plant and Soil Sciences, and Rich Mundell, Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center. Happening this week: The annual meeting of the Council for Burley Tobacco, March 19, 4 p.m., Western Kentucky University Campus in Glasgow, Ky. Keynote speaker will be Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles. To register, go to www.councilforburleytobacco.com. GAP GROWER TRAINING EVENTS Check with your local Extension Service office for further details. All meetings listed here are free and presented in English. Eastern Time except where indicated. Mar 5, 1 p.m. West Union, OH Mar 5, 2 p.m. Russellville, KY Mar 5, 6:30 p.m. Georgetown, OH Mar 6, 9 a.m. Georgetown, OH Mar 7, 3 p.m. Central City, KY Mar 7, 6 p.m. Greeneville, TN Mar 7, 6 p.m. Abingdon, VA Mar 8, 6 p.m. Ben Hur, VA Mar 11, 10 a.m. Tifton, GA Mar 11, 6  p.m. Springfield, KY. Mar 12, 9 a.m. Murray, KY Mar 12, 10 a.m. Marion, SC Mar 12, 3 p.m. Hopkinsville, KY Mar 18, 11 a.m. Lexington, KY Mar 18, 6 p.m. Lafayette, TN Mar 19, 6 p.m. Glasgow, KY Mar 25, 9 a.m. Turbotville, PA Mar 26, 9 a.m. Quarryville, PA Mar 26, 1 p.m. Quarryville, PA Mar 26, 6 p.m. London, KY Mar 27, 9  a.m. Quarryville, PA Mar 27, 1 p.m. Quarryville, PA Mar 28, 9 a.m. New Holland, PA Mar 28,1 p.m. New Holland, PA Mar 29, 9 a.m. Mechanicsville, MD Apr 4, 6:30 p.m. Weston, MO Apr 11, 6 p.m. Bedford, KY Jun 25, 5 p.m. Hopkinsville, KY

WILL CHINA BUY ANY US LEAF THIS YEAR?

The pressure is on for the USTC flue-cured cooperative (headquraters shown above) to deal with a whole season's production for China languishing in storage,

There's still some hope as this issue was prepared that Chinese buyers might return to the U.S. to buy from the 2019 crop, but not much, since they apparently bought almost no U.S. tobacco from the 2018 crop (NOTE: there are a few exceptions. See below). The U.S. Tobacco Cooperative, which has sold much of the American tobacco that has gone to China in the last 10 years, has cut its contract volume by 80 percent across the board and has closed two of its marketing centers, in Smithfield, N.C., and La Crosse, Va. Both were owned by the co-op. The Smithfield facility has been sold. La Crosse is up for sale. Marketing centers that will operate this season  are  in Wilson, NC; Nashville GA; Mullins, SC and Danville, VA.

A big part of USTC's problems arise from the unconventional way China buys tobacco here. Instead of contracting with individual growers, China communicates its anticipated need to USTC in the winter and the cooperative assigns pounds to its growers. Every season until 2018, the Chinese confirmed their order close to planting time. But last spring, the message was "Purchases suspended." Since planting was already under way, USTC honored the contracted amount intended to meet China's stated needs, hoping the political situation would change. But it didn't. Most of the 2018 leaf that USTC hoped to sell to China is in storage.

The exception to that protocol: China has contracted directly with a few American growers for most of the past seven years, including 2018. Reportedly, it honored those contracts, signed before the Trump tariff controversy, making those growers the only ones who sold American leaf to China from the 2018 crop. But, again reportedly, those farmers have received no contracts for 2019. 

Remember: Nearly all of the US tobacco sold to China is flue-cured, reflecting the fact that the dominant blend in China is the  British blend, made entirely of flue-cured. 

The harsh reality of 2019 is that the tobacco industry is in crisis. "But our tobacco farmers do not have to face this crisis on their own," says Darrell Varner of Versailles, Ky., the president of the Council for Burley Tobacco. "The Council is working across state lines to strengthen alliances with other tobacco organizations, including Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina and the Burley Stabilization Corporation. We all realize that there is strength in numbers, and if we are the voices for our grower members, it is important for all tobacco growers--burley, flue-cured and dark fired--to work together." 

You can find out more about the group effort to stabilize the tobacco economy at the annual meeting of the Council for Burley Tobacco annual meeting on March 19 on the Western Kentucky University Campus in Glasgow, Ky. Keynote speaker will be Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles.

Will hemp become a realistic alternative?  Thanks to the latest Farm Bill, which removed hemp from the controlled substance list, hemp may now have a place on tobacco farms, says general manager Steve Pratt of the Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association in Lexington, Ky. "Hemp farmers will now be able to buy crop insurance, apply for loans and grants and write off their [hemp-related] business ex-penses on their taxes like any other farmer." In addition to legal-izing the growth and production of domestic hemp, this new law gives each state the opportunity to oversee production." Added benefit: "Hemp farmers and researchers will now be eligible for competitive federal grants as well," Pratt says. But make sure you have a workable method of marketing it.

Editor's Note: I am beginning to get intrigued about the concept of hemp as a companion crop to tobacco. Reportage seems appropriate on my part, so starting with the next issue, I will include news on an occasional basis on the agronomic side  of hemp in the Southeast. If the feedback is good, it will become a regular feature. Let me know what you think.

DATES TO REMEMBER

GAP GROWER TRAINING EVENTS

Check with your local Extension Service office for further details. All meetings listed here are free and presented in English. Eastern Time except where indicated.

Mar 5, 1 p.m. West Union, OH

Mar 5, 2 p.m. Russellville, KY

Mar 5, 6:30 p.m. Georgetown, OH

Mar 6, 9 a.m. Georgetown, OH

Mar 7, 3 p.m. Central City, KY

Mar 7, 6 p.m. Greeneville, TN

Mar 7, 6 p.m. Abingdon, VA

Mar 8, 6 p.m. Ben Hur, VA

Mar 11, 10 a.m. Tifton, GA

Mar 11, 6  p.m. Springfield, KY.

Mar 12, 9 a.m. Murray, KY

Mar 12, 10 a.m. Marion, SC

Mar 12, 3 p.m. Hopkinsville, KY

Mar 18, 11 a.m. Lexington, KY

Mar 18, 6 p.m. Lafayette, TN

Mar 19, 6 p.m. Glasgow, KY

Mar 25, 9 a.m. Turbotville, PA

Mar 26, 9 a.m. Quarryville, PA

Mar 26, 1 p.m. Quarryville, PA

Mar 26, 6 p.m. London, KY

Mar 27, 9  a.m. Quarryville, PA

Mar 27, 1 p.m. Quarryville, PA

Mar 28, 9 a.m. New Holland, PA

Mar 28,1 p.m. New Holland, PA

Mar 29, 9 a.m. Mechanicsville, MD

Apr 11, 6 p.m. Bedford, KY

Jun 25, 5 p.m. Hopkinsville, KY

CONTRACTING PROSPECTS CONTINUE TO LOOK BLEAK

Streptomycin resistance in the Black Patch: Angular leaf spot on dark tobacco is developing resistance to agricultural streptomycin, essentially the only control measure for the foliar disease. An estimated 25 percent of the angular leaf spot in this area has some level of resistance, says Andy Bailey, Extension dark tobacco specialist for Kentucky and Tennessee. Planting dark varieties with some resistance to wildfire could help: Spread of angular leaf spot seems to be a little slower in them. More bad news on contracting volume: U.S. Tobacco Cooperative, the flue-cured cooperative in Raleigh, N.C., has now cut its contracts 80 percent across the board for 2019. USTC's leading customer is China, and it took a hit when the Chinese elected not to buy any tobacco from the 2018 crop after the Trump tariffs. Look for more details on this situation in the next issue of Tobacco Farmer Newsletter. Pratt Goodbye to a bad year: The 2018 burley season is finally over, and most growers are glad to see it end, says Steve Pratt, general manager of the Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association. "Due to heavy rainfall, the burley tobacco crop last year has been predicted to be the lowest production on record since records have been kept,” he says. “Planning for the 2019 crop has started with lots of hope this season will only get better.”   But the market outlook is problematic. "The demand for U.S. burley continues to decline each year as smoking numbers go down and cigarette manufacturers maintain their use of imported burley tobacco," says Pratt. "There continues to be a need for U.S. burley, but growers may have to adapt to new methods to meet those requirements.  That could mean growing less tobacco with improved yields and greater efficiency." For dark tobacco growers, contract volume is definitely down. "Even though we had a good crop in 2018, the cut in acreage appears substantial," says Andy Bailey, Extension dark tobacco specialist for Kentucky and Tennessee. "A lot of farmers are getting cuts in the 10 to 20 percent range. I have heard of a few who have gotten 100 percent cuts, particularly with dark air-cured tobacco." How can that be when quality was better? "It wasn't the best crop we've ever had, but it was definitely above average. But very little overage was bought at any price by anyone," Bailey says. "The dark market depends on sales of snuff products, and the snuff market has been leveling off for the past couple of years." There was the usual rush to seed before Valentine's Day in North Carolina, but much of the crop remains to be seeded, says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. He advises a careful approach to seeding the rest. "The weather we have been having is not conducive to seeding. You need four or five days of good light quality for good germination. The outlook for that is not good, at least not here in Raleigh." By the way, angular leaf spot is rarely seen in flue-cured in North Carolina, Vann says. "Usually, we [only] see it following a late-season tropical storm." DATES TO REMEMBER GAP GROWER TRAINING EVENTS Check with your local Extension Service office for further details. All meetings listed here are free and presented in English. Eastern Time except where indicated. February 28, 1 p.m. West Union, Ohio. February 28, 6 p.m. Maysville, Ky. March 1, 1 p.m. Paoli, In. March 4, 6 p.m. Gallipolis, Ohio. March 4, 7 p.m. Falmouth, N.C. March 5, 1 p.m. West Union, Ohio. March 5,  2 p.m. Russellville, Ky. March 5, 6:30 p.m. Georgetown, Ohio. March 6, 9 a.m. Georgetown, Ohio. March 7, 3 a.m. Central City, Ky. March 7, 6 p.m. Abingdon, Va. March 8, 6 p.m. Ben Hur, Va. March 11, 10 a.m. Tifton, Ga. March 11, 6 p.m. Springfield, Ky. March 12, 9 a.m. CST. Murray, Ky. March 12,10 a.m. Marion, S.C. March 18, 11 a.m. Lexington, Ky. March 19, 6 p.m. CST. Glasgow, Ky. March 25, 9 a.m. Turbotville, Pa. March 26, 9 a.m. Quarryville, Pa. March 26, 1 p.m. Quarryville, Pa. March 26, 6 p.m. London, Ky. March 27, 9 a.m. Quarryville, Pa. March 27, 1 p.m. Quarryville, Pa. March 28, 9 a.m. New Holland,, Pa. March 28, 1 p.m. New Holland, Pa. April 11, 6 p.m. Bedford, Ky.

SETTERS IMPRESS AT SOUTHERN FARM SHOW

A farmer examines the new DeCloet transplanter at the Southern Farm Show on February 1. There was a falloff in the number of farmers at the Southern Farm Show in Raleigh, but for those who made it, there was some up-to-date new tobacco equipment that attracted a lot of attention. Chief among them were several foreign-made setters. One of them, the Carousel Planter from DeCloet-Italy (shown above) features an independent drive wheel for each row or one drive wheel for two rows. DeCloet also has a bare root planter and perforating planter (for use on plastic), along with a full line of tobacco equipment. Go to www.de-cloet.it for more information...The Spapperi Monodrive Avant transplanter features a very flexible watering system that allows you to get plenty of water under the plant. Also, if you are driving on a narrow road, you can pull in the outside units hydraulically with this transplanter, making it easier to get up and down the road. Farmer Todd Harton of Cadiz, Ky., is the U.S. sales representative for Spapperi, which also has a full line of tobacco equipment. See its website at www.spapperi.com. Could hemp be a boon for burley farmers? "It won't be grown on every single tobacco farm in the area," says Darrell Varner of Versailles, Ky., a farmer and president of the Council for Burley Tobacco. "But I think where you will see hemp planted, at least in the foreseeable future, is as an additional crop on tobacco farms. It will give burley farmers another option. With the way things are going, we may very well need a crop like hemp to diversify tobacco farms." Varner spoke to TFN during the January board meeting of the Council in Owensboro. Grower numbers continue to increase in Zimbabwe: Registrations to grow leaf in 2019 have now reached 169,772; that is 46 percent more than the season just ending, said the [Zimbabwe] Tobacco Industry & Marketing Board. Zimbabwe Farmers Union director Paul Zakariya said last week that harvest of the irrigated crop is well along. But the rain-fed crop is behind due to the delayed onset of rain in most tobacco regions. "Increasing costs of production continue to affect tobacco farmers," he added. "The increase in the cost of agrochemicals, fuel and labor is burdening tobacco farmers." Source water testing by the N.C. Department of Agriculture can get your plant production off to a good start. "Alkalinity, pH, sodium and chloride issues are the most common water quality problems we see with float-bed source water," said Kristin Hicks of the Agronomic Services Division. "The results from testing and making adjustments can be quite significant." Also, after you have mixed fertilizers into the bays, send in a sample of your nutrient solution to verify that target nutrient concentrations have been achieved. To collect a sample, use a clean, plastic bottle. For source water-Before sampling, run water five to 10 minutes and collect sample from the tap or emitter.  Use the "ST" code for source water.  For nutrient solutions- Make sure fertilizer has been thoroughly mixed and is completely dissolved. Collect the sample from the emitter (not the stock tank). Use the "NT" code for nutrient solutions.  Specify if you are using an organic nutrient solution. Label each sample with a sample ID and fill out the Solution Analysis Information form, available from county Extension offices or the Agronomic Division website at http// www.ncagr.gov/ agronomi/pdffiles/issoln.pdf. Cost is $5 for North Carolina  residents, $25 for samples from outside the state. Mail to the NCDA&CS Agronomic Services Solutions Section at either 1040 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699 or 4300 Reedy Creek Rd, Raleigh NC 27607. DATES TO REMEMBER GAP GROWER TRAINING EVENTS Check with your local Extension Service office for further details. All meetings listed here are free and presented in English. Note to readers: Corrections welcome. February 11, 1 p.m. Scottsburg, In. February 11, 6 p.m. Vevay, In. February 12, 6 p.m. Cadiz, Ky. February 18, 10:30 a.m. Kingsport, Tn. February 19, 10:30 a.m. Owensboro, Ky. February 19, 4:30 p.m. Franklin, Ky. 10 a.m. February 20, 10:30 a.m. Hopkinsville, Ky. February 21, 10 a.m. Fountain City, In. February 21, 6 p.m. Sharpsburg, Ky. February 25, 5 p.m. Clarksville, Tn. February 28, 1 p.m. West Union, Ohio. February 28, 6 p.m. Maysville, Ky. March 1, 1 p.m. Paoli, In. March 4, 6 p.m. Gallipolis, Ohio. March 4, 7 p.m. Falmouth, N.C. March 5, 1 p.m. West Union, Ohio. March 5,  2 p.m. Russellville, Ky. March 5, 6:30 p.m. Georgetown, Ohio. March 6, 9 a.m. Georgetown, Ohio. March 7, 3 a.m. Central City, Ky. March 11, 10 a.m. Tifton, Ga. March 11, 6 p.m. Springfield, Ky. March 12,10 a.m. Marion, S.C. March 18, 11 a.m. Lexington, Ky. March 19, 6 p.m. Glasgow, Ky. March 26, 6 p.m. London, Ky. April 11, 6 p.m. Bedford, Ky.

THE SOUTHERN FARM SHOW RETURNS TO RALEIGH

Here is the January III issue of Tobacco Farmer Newsletter. If you haven't signed on to receive the newsletter regularly or if you need to change an address, please click on "Join our mailing list" and follow the prompts. For more information, you can call me at 919-789-4631 or email me at cebickers@aol.com.

Farm machinery on the floor of Dorton Arena at the N.C. State Fairgrounds at last year's Southern Farm Show. (Photo credit: Chris Bickers)

The Southern Farm Show starts Wednesday, January 30, and runs through Friday at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Gates open at 9 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. Admission is free and there is no charge for parking. There will be some new exhibitors, including the Spapperi company of Italy, which will have setters on display and may also demonstrate one of its flue-cured mechanical harvesters. Booth 9004. For more information about the Show, go to https://southernshows.com.  See list of tobacco-related exhibitors below. Growers meet: The annual meeting of the Tobacco Growers Association will take place at the show on Friday, February 1. It starts at 10 a.m. in the HolshouserBuilding and ends at lunch. GAP training will be available afterward. Finally, hemp legalized! The 2018 Farm Bill has opened the way for southern farmers to get into industrial hemp production, once the individual states submit plans to regulate production of the crop. Kentucky leads the way. Kentucky has already applied to USDA to approve its hemp program, and is the first state in the nation to do so, thanks to the commitment of Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles. "Kentucky's regulatory framework perfectly aligns with the requirements spelled out in the [new] farm bill," Commissioner Quarles said. "Now we are eager to take the next step toward solidifying Kentucky's position as the epicenter of industrial hemp production and processing in the United States." More than 1,000 Kentucky farmers have applied to participate in the program in 2019. In 2018, farmers in the program grew more than 6,700 acres, more than double the acreage grown in 2017. Other states are seeking USDA approval also. An opposing opinion. A leaf merchant has responded to the story "Our Competitors Expand..." in  last week's issue of  this newsletter. His response follows. (The author requests anonymity): While it is true that our competitors (at least some of them) are expanding production, it is doubtful that this has anything to do with reduced production in the U.S. Why?  First, the increases are occurring mainly in African countries that do not effectively control production.  Second, tobacco is the highest earning agricultural crop in those countries, and these are in countries where unemployment is generally high and where many small farmers can barely subsist on production of small quantities of other crops. Instead, the decline in the U.S. for flue-cured leaf most likely reflects the ongoing downward trend in U.S. cigarette consumption and the absence of Chinese purchases due to the ongoing trade war. The downtrend is also impacting U.S. burley production and sales as are declines worldwide in consumption of American blend cigarettes. SOUTHERN FARM SHOW EXHIBITOR LISTINGS (TOBACCO RELATED) Jim Graham Bldg.   222 Evans Mactavish Agricraft. 227 Kelley Mfg. Co. Agricultural equipment. 704 (also 8131) Agri Supply. Agricultural materials. 807 Mechanical Transplanter Co. Transplanters, seeding equipment. 808 BulkTobac (Gas Fired Products). Curing equipment and controls. Kerr Scott Bldg.    1002 TriEst Ag Group. Fumigation supplies. 1015 Yara North America. Fertility products. 1107 Flue Cured Tobacco Services. Curing controls. 1104 GoldLeaf Seed Co. Tobacco seed. 1114 BeltWide Inc. Transplant technology. 1115 Transplant Systems. Greenhouse systems.   1116 Cross Creek Seed. Tobacco seed. 1121 AAA Scale Co. 1201 Carolina Greenhouse & Soil Company. 1202 Reddick Equipment Company Inc. 1302 Mid-Atlantic Irrigation Co. Exposition Bldg. 3127&8611 Benchmark Buildings & Irrigation. Transplanters/irrigation. 3135 Southern Container Corporation of Wilson. Bale sheets and packaging.   3311 Flame Engineering. Weed control with flame. 3520 First Products Inc. Fertilizer boxes for cultivators and tool bars. 3605 MarCo Mfg. Tobacco machinery. 3714 Suretrol Manufacturing. Curing Controls 4018 Conklin Company. AgroVantage System to boost genetic potential. 4035 Bio-Organic Catalyst. Scott Tent 7025 Drexel Chemical Company. Sucker control chemicals. 7027 ABI Irrigation. Irrigation equipment.  Tent 1 7302 Fairbanks Scale 7334  BJ Williamson Greenhouses. Outdoors 8039 Vause Equipment Co. Farm equipment. 8206 Wilson Manufacturing. Farm trailers 8204 Equipmax. Tobacco spray equipment. 8217 Granville Equipment. Tobacco Machinery. 8228 World Tobacco. Bulk fertilizer handling equipment. Curing barns. 8301 De Cloet SRL. Tobacco machinery. 8510 Walters Air Assist Plant Release System. Plant release system.  8516 Mobilift of Burlington, N.C. Forklift sales and service. 8546 & 227 Kelley Mfg. Co. Agricultural equipment. 8701 Tytun Ltd. Bulk flue-curing barns. 8705 Long Tobacco Barn Co. Bulk tobacco curing barns. 9004 Spapperi (Italy). Setters and other tobacco mechanization. DATES TO REMEMBER January 30, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Southern Farm Show. N.C. State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, N.C. January 31, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Southern Farm Show. N.C. State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, N.C.  February 1, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Southern Farm Show. N.C. State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, N.C. February 1, 10 a.m.--1 p.m. Tobacco Growers Association of N.C. Annual Meeting, Holshouser Building, N.C. State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, N.C. (in conjunction with Southern Farm Show). February 5, 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. CST. TN-KY Tobacco Expo. Robertson County Fair, 4635 Highway 41 N, Springfield, Tn.